Henley didn’t reply as he shoved Jody through the door. The man lost his footing, landing face-first in the dirt. Thankfully, we’d caught him as he was heading to the bathroom, so no one had noticed Henley grabbing him.
He flipped around, scrambling back from Henley as he approached. “We’re friends, aren’t we, bud?”
“Friends who want each other dead,bud.” Henley pulled his gun from his waistband.
I crossed my arms, leaning back against the outer wall of the club to watch.
Jody blubbered a laugh. “Dead? What are you?—”
“This is a waste of my time,” Henley muttered, putting a round in the chamber.
Jody’s eyes widened, hands raising as if they’d stop a bullet. “Wait, wait!”
“Ears, Grace.”
My palms came up to cover my ears, and not a secondlater, the gunshot rang through the alley and onto the adjacent street. The music from the club was so loud, it was unlikely anyone inside had heard. As for out here, the area was sketchy. I was sure people were used to hearing guns go off frequently.
Blood poured from Jody’s mouth, his pleas inaudible as he choked.
“Hmm,” I hummed.
Henley tucked the gun back in his waistband, turning to face me. “What?”
I shoved off the wall, glancing at the blood-soaked man. “I thought you would’ve drawn that out. Made him pay for putting a hit on your head. Or explain himself.”
A muscle in Henley’s jaw feathered as he stared at me. “It’s not my fault he bet his family’s heirloom in a game of poker.”
I studied him. This didn’t seem like the Henley I knew. He enjoyed drawing out people’s pain, saying his piece so they’d die with his words echoing in their mind.
“What’s your plan?” I asked, curious.
He moved toward me, grabbing my chin to tilt my face up to his. “I have someone else I want to hurt tonight.”
My eyes lowered, feeling shame for taking the limelight away from his kill. “Henley, this was more important than some petty drama with Tyler.”
He arched my head back farther, making me lift my gaze to him. “Nothing is more important than you. Not to me. It’s best if you learn that.”
My focus moved between his eyes, wondering if he really meant that. He must’ve sensed my slight skepticism,because he lowered his lips to mine and erased all uncertainties.
He was becoming the most important thing in my life, too.
Chapter 19
Henley
Grace’s chattering teeth beside me only pissed me off more. Not at her, but at Tyler. She was cold because we were out here waiting for him. Naturally, it was his fault my little killer was uncomfortable.
“I told you to sit in the truck,” I gritted out, sliding out of my jacket to drape it around her shoulders.
“And I told you I don’t want you doing this alone,” she snapped back, though it held little bite with the shivers wracking her. She melted into my black Carhartt, hair tucked beneath it. I had to admit, she was adorable.
I crossed my arms, not feeling the cold whatsoever. The anticipation of making this asshole pay for ever thinking of Grace with anything but good intentions had my blood boiling.
“Scared I’m going to get hurt, little killer?” I asked, too stiff to even lean against the brick building behind us. Grace, on the other hand, was pressed against it like she might curl up and sleep right here.
She huffed, breath pluming white in front of her. “No. I just don’t… He’s an ass, okay?”
I turned my head to look at her, curious. “Don’t what?”
